Laugh It Off
by HardRockPrincess
Summary: "See, the 'Fred and George route' isn't so bad is it?" asked George. "I'll never do this regularly, but this was actually the most I've laughed since…well…ever and I think I liked it," Percy admitted with a chuckle. When Percy and George are mourning the loss of Fred, they decide to cope with it the way Fred would want them to. Not with tears and sadness, but pranks and laughter.


For all the years that Percy had known Fred and George, he knew how they acted. Whenever they were angry or sad, what would they do? Pull a prank and laugh it off. What if someone had gotten hurt? Pull a prank and laugh it off. It's what they do. Despite the fact that Percy found them to be incredibly annoying and devastatingly immature most of the time, he had come to accept that they were always good at making people laugh and forget their problems. It explained why they were so well-liked. The twins have never dwelled on any problems for long; they always found a way to lighten the mood. That is why Percy Weasley was so shocked and devastated at the sight of the twins now.

George Weasley was currently sobbing heavily and hugging his now-dead twin brother Fred. He kept begging Fred to stop joking and wake up. Percy knew that Fred would never wake up and laugh. Fred had now joined all the innocent people that this damned war claimed.

_You could've stopped it. You could've saved him,_ a voice said.

He pushed the though aside but he knew the voice was right. He was there with Fred when the pillar fell on top of him. He could've pushed Fred out of the way and saved him from death. But what was he doing? He was so focused on keeping himself alive that he forgot about Fred.

He was frozen on the spot at the sight of his family. Mum was almost as bad as George. She was curled into a ball on the floor trying and failing to stifle the cries racking her body. Dad was rubbing her shoulders, but he was in no better state than she was. He too was crying for the loss of his son. Percy had never seen his father cry, and honestly, it unnerved him to no end. Ginny was rubbing George's back as he continued to cry, but she couldn't find any words of comfort to say. What _could _she say? What could someone say to a man who just lost the other half of himself? Nothing. Nothing anyone could say would numb the pain.

Ron's face was buried in Hermione's shoulder and she was doing all she could to comfort him, although the attempts were pretty futile. Bill and Charlie were trying to stay strong for the family, but Percy wasn't fooled. He could see the hopelessness curl their shoulders and their faces were stone-cold and weary. They missed Fred just as much as everyone else. Percy didn't want anyone's comfort because he felt as though he didn't truly deserve it. But the least he could do is try to comfort the one person who was the most cut up.

He walked slowly behind George and he could feel all of his family's eyes on him, wondering what he was going to say or do. Bravely Percy spoke up.

"George?" he barely breathed. George didn't turn around or let go of Fred's dead body. The only sign that George heard Percy was the fact that he stopped crying for a moment.

"George I… I…"

"Don't. Just go away," said George, in a low bitter tone that did not suit him.

"I'm sorry—"

"Sorry huh?" snapped George. "Don't try to act like you understand. You'll only make it worse."

"He was my brother too," Percy stated firmly. He knew he would never truly understand George's pain, but he needed to remind George that he wasn't the only person who loved Fred.

George gently laid Fred back on the ground but did not face Percy.

"Yeah, a brother you spent _seven years _criticizing, turning your nose up at, and sneering at. You don't understand love at all you selfish prat," snarled George.

His brother's words cut right through him. He knew George was right, but he still felt the need to say something.

"I did everything I could to save him—"

"Well clearly you didn't do enough," growled George, "Otherwise Fred would still be alive!"

"George…" Molly Weasley got up from the ground and pleaded for George to listen.

"There wasn't anything he could do. Everything happened at once and Percy almost got killed too," said Ron, trying to reason with him. Percy was surprised at Ron's defense on his behalf. Of all his siblings, he expected Ron to be the last to forgive him. After all, Percy turned his back not only on his family, but on Harry Potter too, Ron's best friend. However, he suspected Ron might only be doing this to avoid any more commotion. While he appreciated Ron's attempts, George had every right to take his devastation out on him.

"He could've have tried to do something! Anything! As far as I'm concerned Percy let Fred die for his cowardly arse!" exclaimed George, who still wasn't facing Percy.

"George!" exclaimed Mrs. Weasley, more powerfully, but not enough to coax George into listening.

"I…" Percy put his hand on George's shoulder, "I would've done anything if I—"

"Then why didn't you? You know what, just leave me alone," said George fiercely, yet sounded defeated.

"But George let me—"

George officially lost it. George stood up and shoved Percy away from him with all his might.

"GET AWAY FROM ME YOU BASTARD!" he shouted, catching the attention of nearly everyone in the Great Hall.

"George!" exclaimed the voices of his family members.

"NO HE DESERVES THIS!" yelled George. He stormed over to Percy and began pounding hard on his chest. "YOU—DIGUSTING—SELFISH—BASTARD!" he annunciated each word with every blow he made to his brother's chest.

"George! Stop! This isn't the way to deal with your grief!" shouted Bill as he pried George off of Percy. Everyone stared at George as he began to shake violently. He took deep, heavy breaths in and out of his mouth. It took him a while before he began to speak again.

"He was my best friend since birth," George managed to squeeze out with a small sob. "We did everything together: pranks, jokes, stories, everything. He always made people laugh. He was kind and loyal, and he never walked out on anybody," said George, miserably. Percy knew the last line was directed at him, reminding him how he walked out on his family almost three years ago. "You know he missed you Percy. He may have despised you for what you did, but he still wanted you back. Hell, there were occasional times in school when Kenneth Towler insulted you he put Bulbadox powder in the git's pajamas! You want to know why? Because you were his brother and brothers stick up for each other. Clearly _you _didn't follow that rule did you," hissed George, glaring viciously at Percy.

Percy was taken aback. He didn't know Fred had stood up for him. He always assumed Fred let others talk bad about him because he agreed with their statements. Now that he knew Fred defended him against someone else simply because they were brothers, it only made the guilt in him grow stronger.

"He always stood up for what's right. He was always there for the family during times of turmoil. He didn't do anything to deserve this! Why him?! Why did he have to be killed?!" screamed George, growing hysterical again. George began clutching his sides trying to hold on what little sanity he had left.

"I miss him too," Percy said trying to show he was being truly sincere, but George didn't want to hear any of it.

"And what were _you _doing during all the times we needed your support?!" shouted George, who looked as though he wanted nothing more than to Crucio Percy into the next century. "Where were _you _when Ginny was dragged into the Chamber of Secrets?! Where were you when Dad got attacked by that damned snake, Nagini?! Where were you when Ron got poisoned, when Bill got scarred by Greyback, or when _I _got my ear _cursed off_?! You were being the world's biggest git by whoring yourself to the stinking Ministry!"

"George stop please!" begged Ginny who seemed dangerously close to tears. Percy didn't expect Ginny to stand up for him either because on the night that he and Dad had their row, Ginny looked reading to rip him apart. George ignored his sister.

"You have never been anything more than a power-hungry, arrogant, selfish, family-disowning moron! You are only worried about yourself and you put your needs above everyone else's! Fred always put his family first and was always there for them when they needed his light-heartedness! So why did he get killed?! Why did it have to be _him_?! WHY COULDN'T IT HAVE BEEN _YOU_?!" George bellowed and shoving Percy away from him.

"GEORGE FABIAN WEASLEY! HOW DARE YOU?" shouted Mrs. Weasley.

"NO MUM! Stop making excuses for that toothless rat!" yelled George, pointing an accusing finger at Percy. "You've been making excuses for him for years even though he has never been worth your worry or your tears! There is _no_ excuse for the fact that he put himself above a family that has only ever showed him kindness! And how can you focus on Percy?! Your entire focus should be on the son that is lying dead! But _nooooo! _You have to focus on a stuck-up prick who couldn't give two shits about us!" George bellowed again before burying his face in his hands in attempts to force down any more cries.

No one bothered to tell George off because they couldn't bring themselves to scold someone in such incurable pain and despair. Percy couldn't cry, scream, or swear. He felt empty. Completely empty. He wasn't even sure if he would ever be able to move or talk again.

Bill and Charlie attempted to talk to George but he ran out of the Great Hall, seemingly unable to be around anyone right now. Percy couldn't blame him for wanting to be away. George didn't need a telling off right now. He needed the time to be alone to accept the loss of his twin.

"Perce, he didn't mean what he said," said Bill.

"He just lost the one person he cared the most about. He was probably just frustrated and said many things he shouldn't have," said Charlie.

"Eet vas wrong vat 'ee said to you. You shouldn't 'ave died eenstead of Fred," said Fleur Delacour, well Fleur Weasley now. Percy felt a stab at the reminder that he did not attend Bill's wedding.

Everyone tried to console him telling him that what George said to him was wrong and out of line and that they wouldn't have traded him over Fred, but he tuned them out. He didn't want them to make him feel better because George was right. There were _no _excuses to the stupid choices he made in the past, and George had every right to wish it was Percy that died instead of Fred. Fred never left, Percy did. Fred stood by his family, Percy had not. If Percy could go back to that moment and stop Fred from being killed he would. He would willingly let the pillar crush him instead of Fred. He didn't care what happened to him, but no matter what, if he could go back in time and fix that moment, he would do _anything _to make sure George would _never _be this lost and broken ever again.

**Three weeks later**

Time was slow and heavy in the Weasley household. While everyone was at an all-time high because of the defeat of Lord Voldemort, the Weasleys were at an all-time low. The funeral to Fred and the rest of the fallen warriors was still on their minds even though it was three weeks ago. Percy and George refused to look at each other because the fight they had the night Fred died was still fresh in both of their minds. Percy couldn't get George's words out of his head.

_WHY COULDN'T IT HAVE BEEN _YOU?!

It was painful to listen to his brother wish death upon him. Everyone kept telling him George didn't mean it, but he had a feeling that deep down, they agreed with George. Hell even _he _agreed with George. He couldn't stop blaming himself wishing it was him that died and not Fred. He couldn't bare being around his family knowing Fred should be with them. His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Percy, can I come in?" asked the other person.

Percy said yes and George entered, looking guilty and awkward.

"What's wrong?" asked Percy. Well, he knew what was obviously wrong, but he needed to know why George was coming into his room. George hasn't come to have a heart-to-heart with Percy since… well Percy and George never had a heart-to-heart period.

"Look I—Er—some of the things I said to you on… that night," George closed his eyes trying to block out the painful memories, "some of the things I said to you were a bit out of line."

"You had every right to say them. I was a power-hungry, arrogant, selfish, family-disowning moron," said Percy.

"Well that wasn't what I was talking about. I was talking about… uh," George paused for a moment looking down guiltily, "when I told you I wish it was you that died," his voice cracked.

"Don't worry about because right now, I wish it were me too," said Percy, deadpanned.

"Percy don't—"

"You were right. I should have done something, _anything, _but what I did. I should have been more focused on the opponent rather than making Fred laugh. I could have pushed him out of the way and let the pillar take me—"

"And what good would it have done if _you _died?" asked George, seriously.

"You said so yourself! It should have been me!" cried Percy.

"I was devastated, I wasn't thinking, and I was slowly going insane! I never should have said it, and I didn't really mean it. You may have been a foul git for the last few years, but you're still my brother. I don't know if I could handle it if you, or any of my other siblings had died," said George with as much sincerity as he could show.

"Fred should be here, not me," said Percy, glumly.

"No he shouldn't," said George. Percy looked at George as though he had just grown a second head.

"I mean he _should _be here, but not in exchange for you. I have two reasons why. The first reason is because I would never trade any of my siblings in exchange for Fred, not even you. We just got you back and… I can't believe I'm admitting this. I can see how sorry you really are. You want the chance to be a better man than you were and, it would be unfair for that chance to be taken away from you. And you're still my brother and… I love you," said George, who was just as surprised at what he said as Percy was. Percy had never heard George say "I love you" to him since they were children.

"You love Fred more though," stated Percy as if it were obvious.

"That isn't a _complete _lie, but I still wouldn't trade you in exchange for Fred. That brings me to my second reason. Fred would _never _forgive me if I had done that. He would think I'm just as selfish as you were," Percy didn't miss how he used the past tense and he couldn't suppress a smile, "and he would be furious that I thought only of myself and not of you or anyone else," said George much more maturely than Percy had ever known him.

"You've changed," said Percy.

"So have you," said George.

"I'm just glad Fred died the way he always wanted: laughing," said Percy with a watery smile.

Sadness overcame Percy and George and without thinking, the two Weasley brothers hugged each other and cried over the loss of Fred. They may have been at odds with each other for years, but they were still family and the bond of family never ceases to exist. They stayed like this for at least half an hour until both were able to pull themselves together.

"I miss him," said Percy, drying his eyes on his sleeves.

"I do too. But Fred wouldn't want to see us like this. You know what he would do?" asked George.

"What would he do?" asked Percy.

"He would pull a prank and laugh it off," said George, who had the mischievous grin that hadn't been seen for three weeks. Percy had never been so happy to see George like this.

**Next week**

Percy must have hit his head _hard. _He didn't know how but George had somehow convinced _him _to go pranking! He was shaking from head to toe. Did the George ever have _any _worry about the consequences of most of their pranks?! How could he do this so nonchalantly? And the worst part is that _he _indirectly gave George the idea for this prank! George said the Angelina Johnson told him she would only go out with George when her hair turned pink and her skin turned blue. Percy sarcastically suggested turning her hair pink and skin blue and she'll have to say yes. And George took it literally.

"Are you sure this is legal?" asked Percy incredulously.

"Trust me, I'm only pulling a light prank because this is your first time," said George, without a care in the world.

"This is _light_?!" asked Percy incredulously and he eyed the hair and skin color bomb in George's hand.

"You don't want to see one of my more clever pranks. Now when Angelina goes into the bathroom, I'll throw this in, we'll make a run for it, and she'll be looking like an adult Smurf," said George, who looked like a child who wanted to go on the biggest roller coaster in the universe.

Percy and George quietly followed Angelina into the Three Broomsticks bathroom. When she closed the stall George threw the color bomb into the stall and he told Percy to make a break for it. Percy was worried for George's sake. He didn't know Angelina that well, but he knew she was no daffodil and would definitely pound George into the ground if she wanted to. He soon knew the prank had worked when he heard her scream from the girls' room.

Angelina Johnson walked out looking murderous, but with hot pink hair sticking up at all ends and blue skin covering every inch of her. Percy tried so hard not to laugh, as he had been on the receiving end of so many jokes, but he could no longer contain it and suddenly realized why the twins enjoyed this so much. Now he will never willingly pull a prank himself, but he enjoyed the hearty laughter racking his body. She scanned the laughing crowd and her eyes fell on George.

"GEORGE!" Angelina shouted.

"What is it Angie?" asked George, feigning innocence.

"YOU DID THIS!" she shrieked pointing her wand at George's throat. "And how did you get _him _to play along?" she asked, gesturing towards Percy.

"I honestly don't know, but he definitely is enjoying it," said George proudly.

She turned her glare at Percy, who flinched slightly. Under normal circumstances he would say he never wanted any part of it and blame it on George. But he was trying a new thing called accepting full responsibility for your actions so instead he said, "I may not have taken direct part in it, but I did give George the idea for pranking you."

"But you've always been so… so… stiff," she said, barely recognizing him.

"I'm not going to become a prankster like this one," he pointed to George, "but I will admit this was pretty fun."

"So Angie, you said you would g out with me when your hair turns pink and your skin turns blue. Well your hair is hot pink and your skin is dark blue," said George, triumphantly.

"I didn't think you would take it literally!" shouted Angelina.

"Never underestimate the mind of a prankster. Now will you go out with me?" asked George with a smirk. Angelina sighed and gave in.

"One date and if it goes disastrously I will have your head on a platter," threatened Angelina.

"I win. Meet me here on Saturday at 7," bragged George.

"Oh don't get too cocky. As revenge for your prank, Percy has to come with us," said Angelina with a triumphant smirk.

"WHAT?!" yelled George indignantly.

"He has to come with us and bring a date too," she explained.

"B-b-but Angie you can't—"

"Yes I can. Percy comes with us on our date or I will never go out with you again and I will put up false advertisements bashing Weasley's Wizard Wheezes," she said who now had the upper hand. George grumbled under his breath and agreed.

"But who will be my date? I don't know any girls that have shown interest in me?" asked Percy.

"Oh yeah about that… Oi! Audrey!" Angelina called over her shoulder. A girl with straight brunette hair and light skin came over and smiled at the two boys.

"George, Percy, this is my friend Audrey Willows. We met the year after George and I left Hogwarts," said Angelina. Percy had seen Audrey in the halls during his time at Hogwarts. They never spoke or took much notice to each other though. He only had one interaction with her but he couldn't remember what.

"Do I remember you from somewhere?" asked Percy.

"Yeah I think we were in the same year but I was in Hufflepuff. I think you fell asleep studying in the library and I woke you up to tell you that you drooled on your textbook," she said with a chuckle.

Percy went beet red and George burst out laughing.

"Oh yeah… I… I don't do that anymore," he said nervously.

"I should hope not," she laughed and Percy gave a small laugh too.

"So anyway, Audrey, this git George is making me come on a date with him and I told him that Percy, his brother, has to come with us too. Would you like to be Percy's date?" asked Angelina.

Percy half expected the girl to laugh at the idea or run away but instead she beamed and said, "Absolutely. When and where should I come?"

"Come back here to Three Broomsticks on Saturday at 7," said Angelina.

"Okay. I'll see you Saturday. Bye Percy," Audrey said smiling.

"Yeah… uh… bye," said Percy awkwardly. When Angelina and Audrey left, George slapped him on the back.

"See! If you had never come pranking with me, you would never have gotten a date with pretty Audrey," said George grinning.

"Well, she seems pretty nice," said Percy.

"Yeah and who knows, maybe she get along so well with you, that she might just become your wife—"

"Whoa whoa, wait a minute! I just met her and you're already talking about marriage?" asked Percy incredulously.

"Hey I might very well be right. I made jokes about Bill and Fleur and look where they are now," he said as if this settled it.

"You made a lucky guess," said Percy.

"Don't underestimate me. And anyway, I hope you enjoyed going down the 'Fred and George route' for one day," said George.

If George had done this earlier, Percy would have told him off for immature use of magic and humiliating someone else. But he will not deny that seeing Angelina with pink hair and blue skin was priceless. He never knew how wonderful it was to laugh so hard it hurt, having other people laugh knowing you were the reason for it.

"No actually it was pretty fun," he admitted honestly.

"See, the 'Fred and George route' isn't so bad is it?" asked George.

"I'll never do this regularly, but this was actually the most I've laughed since… well… ever and I think I liked it," he admitted with a chuckle.

"Fred would be so proud of you," said George smiling, more softly now.

"He would be," said Percy, smiling as well.

Fred Weasley looked down from the heavens and grinned like a Cheshire cat and said, "I have never been more proud of you, Weatherby."


End file.
